Enrollment
659
Louisiana · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · New Orleans, LA
Mary Bethune Elementary Literature/Technology
Federal NCES profile for Mary Bethune Elementary Literature/Technology, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 61/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 220117000856Charter school
👥 S:T ratio 51
🌟 Gifted program 70
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Mary Bethune Elementary Literature/Technology earns 61/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 85% of Louisiana schools. It is also less racially and ethnically mixed than most Louisiana schools.
- #2 of 47
- schools in New Orleans · Resource Index
- 61
- Resource Index · Higher
- 12.2:1
- small classes for Louisiana
- 93.2%
- free-lunch eligible
Mary Bethune Elementary Literature/Technology has class sizes smaller than 85% of Louisiana schools. Computed live against every Louisiana school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Mary Bethune Elementary Literature/Technology ranks #2 of 47 schools in New Orleans, LA.
School address
District: Orleans Parish · Louisiana
NCES ID 220117000856 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
54.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
12.2:1
vs 16.8:1 Louisiana avg
-27% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
93.2%
vs 62.5% Louisiana avg
+49% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Mary Bethune Elementary Literature/Technology compares with Louisiana and U.S. medians
What stands out at Mary Bethune Elementary Literature/Technology
Mary Bethune Elementary Literature/Technology is a high-poverty, mid-sized charter combined-grade school in New Orleans, Louisiana, enrolling 659 students.
Classes run notably small here: at 12.2:1, Mary Bethune Elementary Literature/Technology is leaner than roughly 85% of Louisiana schools and 27% under the state's 16.8:1 norm, more adult attention per pupil than most peers.
Economic need is high: 93.2% of students qualify for free meals, 49% above the Louisiana average, a Title I-weighted population that federal funding formulas prioritise.
Enrollment of 659 puts it in the larger third of Louisiana schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 1,330 scored Louisiana schools.
Among 101 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Louisiana schools statewide, it ranks #3, a top-tier result once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is predominantly African American (97% of enrollment), among the less diverse in the state (diversity index 7/100).
The surrounding Orleans Parish spends $45,736 per pupil, 179% above the Louisiana average, a better-resourced district than most.
Among New Orleans's public schools, it stands alongside The Willow School (2,225 students): Mary Bethune Elementary Literature/Technology is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (12.2:1 vs 20.6:1).
Orleans Parish also operates Benjamin Franklin Elem. Math and Science (739 students) and Elan Academy Charter School (436 students) alongside Mary Bethune Elementary Literature/Technology.
Sourced from NCES CCD, CRDC, and F-33 (federal records, not a quality verdict). How we source and compute this.
Source: National Center for Education Statistics Common Core of Data + CRDC + F-33 · 2024-25
How Mary Bethune Elementary Literature/Technology compares
Mary Bethune Elementary Literature/Technology on the metrics families compare, against Louisiana and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Louisiana | Louisiana avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 12.2:1 | ▼ 27% | 16.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 93.2% | ▲ 49% | 62.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 659 | top 20% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
12.2:1
Leaner classes than 74% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
659
Bigger than 77% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
93.2%
free-lunch eligible
- 49% above the Louisiana average of 62.5%
Well above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold, among the highest-need profiles in the state; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
12.2:1
students per teacher
- 27% below state mean
Top 15% in Louisiana - lower ratio than 85% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Funding equity
$45,736
per pupil, district-wide
- above Louisiana avg of $16,376
Well above the U.S. public-school average, reflecting substantially higher local or state investment per enrolled student.
Support staff
Counselors0.0 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 0 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Overview
- Common Core of Data (June 2026): enrollment, staffing, and the student-teacher ratio above.
- Civil Rights Data Collection: discipline counts and program access (AP, gifted, special education).
- F-33 School District Finance Survey: the district-wide per-pupil spending figures below.
Three separate federal collections, each on its own reporting cadence - which is why this school's numbers line up on a consistent basis against every other school and state on this site, rather than mixing figures pulled from different survey years.
Student demographics
African American 96.5%
Hispanic or Latino 2.3%
Two or More 0.9%
White 0.2%
Asian 0.2%
Largest group: African American at 96.5% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 6.8/100
Simpson diversity index - at 6.8, Mary Bethune Elementary Literature/Technology is less mixed than the Louisiana school average of 43.9.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Orleans Parish, which includes Mary Bethune Elementary Literature/Technology.
$45,736
Per student
+179%
vs Louisiana
Avg $16,376
+176%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 61.2%
State 33.8%
Federal 5.0%
Source: NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey District-level finance · FY 2021-22 Per-pupil expenditure reflects the district-wide average. Individual school budgets are not reported at the federal level.
How Mary Bethune Elementary Literature/Technology Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Benjamin Franklin Elem. Math and Science | Similar size | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Elan Academy Charter School | Smaller | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Travis Hill School | Smaller | Lower economic need | No ratio data |
| The Delores Taylor Arthur School for Young Men | Smaller | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Mary Bethune Elementary Literature/Technology's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 739
- Students per teacher
- 17.2:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
- Enrollment
- 436
- Students per teacher
- 16.8:1
- Resource Index
- 42/100
- Enrollment
- 117
- Students per teacher
- -
- Resource Index
- 50/100
- Enrollment
- 77
- Students per teacher
- 5.9:1
- Resource Index
- 72/100
Similar other schools in New Orleans
6 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
The Willow School
Standard public school
2,225 students 20.6:1 students per teacher
Morris Jeff Community School
Standard public school
1,442 students 14.6:1 students per teacher
Bricolage Academy
Standard public school
965 students
Kipp Morial
Standard public school
951 students 12.2:1 students per teacher
New Orleans Military & Maritime Academy
Standard public school
945 students 13.7:1 students per teacher
Audubon Charter School
Standard public school
937 students 17:1 students per teacher
Similar other schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of Louisiana, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~659 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Mary Bethune Elementary Literature/Technology's federal record.
- Compare Mary Bethune Elementary Literature/Technology against another school. Compare schools
- Orleans Parish's spending and staffing shape this school. District profile
- Confirm current enrollment and boundaries with the school. Choosing guide
Federal record (CCD 2024-25, CRDC 2021-22) - PlainSchools assigns no subjective rating; the composite quality score is a transparent, reproducible index computed from this cited federal data.
Frequently asked questions about Mary Bethune Elementary Literature/Technology
How many students attend Mary Bethune Elementary Literature/Technology?
Mary Bethune Elementary Literature/Technology has 659 students enrolled. It is a public school in New Orleans, LA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Mary Bethune Elementary Literature/Technology?
The student-teacher ratio at Mary Bethune Elementary Literature/Technology is 12.2:1, which is 27% lower than the Louisiana average of 16.8:1 and 22% lower than the national average of 15.7:1. Lower ratios generally mean more individual attention per student.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Mary Bethune Elementary Literature/Technology?
93.2% of students at Mary Bethune Elementary Literature/Technology are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Louisiana average of 62.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Mary Bethune Elementary Literature/Technology?
The largest demographic group at Mary Bethune Elementary Literature/Technology is African American at 96.5% of enrollment, in New Orleans, LA.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Mary Bethune Elementary Literature/Technology?
Mary Bethune Elementary Literature/Technology has a Resource Investment Index of 61/100 (higher reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 2 factors: student-teacher ratio. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology). Limited indicators were available, so the index reflects partial data.
How does Mary Bethune Elementary Literature/Technology rank among schools in New Orleans?
By Resource Investment Index, Mary Bethune Elementary Literature/Technology ranks #2 of 47 schools in New Orleans, LA. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in New Orleans on the city page.
Is Mary Bethune Elementary Literature/Technology a good school?
Mary Bethune Elementary Literature/Technology earns 61/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 85% of Louisiana schools. It is also less racially and ethnically mixed than most Louisiana schools. This is a resource snapshot, not an academic rating; see the Resource Investment Index question above for what the number does and doesn't measure.
What other schools are in Orleans Parish?
Besides Mary Bethune Elementary Literature/Technology, Orleans Parish also operates Benjamin Franklin Elem. Math and Science (739 students), Elan Academy Charter School (436 students), and Travis Hill School (117 students). See the Orleans Parish district page for the complete list.
Related tools
Every figure on PlainSchools is rendered directly from the source NCES, CRDC and F-33 federal records, no number is typed in by an editor. Each school's figures reflect its most recent NCES/CRDC submission on file. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.